Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, known as MOCA Jacksonville, is a contemporary art museum located in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Operated as a cultural institute of the University of North Florida, it stands as one of the largest contemporary art institutions in the Southeastern United States. The museum presents exhibitions by international, national, and regional artists and holds the distinction of being the only museum in Northeast Florida dedicated to contemporary art, defined as work created from the 1960s to the present. With more than 1,000 pieces in its permanent collection, MOCA Jacksonville ranks among the most significant repositories of modern and contemporary art in the region.

MOCA Jacksonville traces its origins to 1924, when it was founded as the Jacksonville Fine Arts Society by members of the Women's Club of Jacksonville. This made it the first organization in the Jacksonville community devoted to the visual arts and, according to the museum's centennial account, the first contemporary art museum in the American South and the second in the nation, following only the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. The four founding women were driven by the belief that contemporary art should be accessible to all members of the community. In 1948, the institution was incorporated as the Jacksonville Art Museum, and in 1978 it became the first institution in Jacksonville to receive accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums. The museum acquired its permanent downtown home in late 1999, the historic Western Union Telegraph Building on Hemming Plaza, now James Weldon Johnson Park, and was renamed the Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art (JMOMA). After preview exhibitions began in 2000, the full renovation of the building was completed in 2003, with a grand reopening in May of that year. The institution became the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville in November 2006. The University of North Florida acquired the museum in 2009 to serve as a cultural resource for the university. In 2024, MOCA Jacksonville marked its 100th anniversary with a year-long campaign featuring exhibitions, events, and programs.

Among the museum's significant holdings is the Norman E. Fisher Collection, which formed the basis of the 2024 centennial exhibition A Walk on the Wild Side: '70s New York, featuring works by Andy Warhol, Philip Glass, David Bowie, Yoko Ono, and Robert Mapplethorpe. The Project Atrium series has commissioned major installations by internationally recognized artists, including Chiharu Shiota, Rina Banerjee, Anila Quayyum Agha, Frank Stella, and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. In 2024, the museum presented Frank Stella: Jacksonville Stacked Stars, a new sculptural work created for the atrium space. The museum also holds works by Hans Hofmann and Joan Mitchell, representing significant figures in Abstract Expressionism and post-war American painting. The collection is further distinguished by holdings from the collections of Norman E. Fisher and Gordon W. Bailey, which have been featured in anniversary programming.

MOCA Jacksonville is housed in the former Western Union Telegraph Building, a 1931 structure located on Hemming Plaza, now James Weldon Johnson Park, adjacent to the renovated City Hall. The building was constructed by The Auchter Company and is a notable example of Art Deco architecture in Jacksonville. The museum's renovation preserved the original Art Deco facade while completely refurbishing the interior to accommodate galleries, educational facilities, a theater and auditorium, Museum Shop, and Cafe Nola. The facility spans 60,000 square feet across six floors. The transformation of this historic telecommunications building into a contemporary art space represents a significant example of adaptive reuse in Jacksonville's downtown core. The museum's location places it at the center of the city's civic and cultural district, contributing to Jacksonville's multibillion-dollar downtown revitalization plan.

MOCA Jacksonville is located at 333 North Laura Street in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. The museum offers free admission every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. As a cultural institute of the University of North Florida, UNF students, faculty, and staff receive automatic membership. The general public can become members starting at $60 for individuals and $125 for families. The museum operates Setlan Coffee Co. on-site, offering coffee, tea, pastries, and light bites without requiring museum admission; members receive discounts on purchases. SoulFULL Eats provides catering services for events. Educational programming includes children's literacy initiatives, weekend art-making classes, tours, lectures, films, and publications for all ages. The museum hosts Museum Nights and other regular programming throughout the year. MOCA Jacksonville functions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.